THE DAGUPAN City government is purchasing six boats this year, two of which will be assigned to the Waste Management Division (WMD) for hauling garbage from the city’s five island communities. At forum on waste management last week, Mayor Marc Brian C. Lim gave this assurance as he called on barangay officials to strictly implement segregation policies. “Maaasahan po ninyo na bibigyan natin ng pansin ang tamang collection ng basura, basta’t kayo rin po sa barangay ay tama rin ang collection niyo ng basura, tama ang (Rest assured that we will attend to concerns on garbage collection, as long as on your part, you observe proper collection and) segregation and the use of your MRF (material recover facility),” Mr. Lim said. Teddy Villamil, WMD consultant, welcomed the announcement, noting that garbage collection in the island villages “had always been a struggle.” He said garbage from the villages of Carael, Calmay and Pugaro are collected twice a week using a six-wheeler truck, which takes a 20-kilometer route via Binmaley town. In Lomboy and Salapingao, garbage is hauled twice a week using an old motorboat of the City Engineer’s Office. “But there were times when village officials rented privately-owned boats just to haul the garbage,” Mr. Villamil said. Two of the four other boats will go to the City Agriculture Office, and one each to the city police and City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office.

OPEN DUMP
Meanwhile, Mr. Lim reiterated his intent to close the city’s open dump in Bonuan Boquig by the end of this year, recognizing that this facility violates the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. He stressed that to achieve this, he needs improved waste management systems at the barangay level. “Your commitment to cooperate with the city government is very important,” he said.